The Walking Dead One-Shots/ Short Stories

As Luck Would Have it

Taking a moment out of the busy day, she could feel the sweat glistening on her forehead from the hot stove. The orange glow of the sun shined bright through the window behind her. She briefly took off her hat to wipe away the sweat and put her hands on the counter to put her head down for a brief moment. "These double shifts are killing me.. my legs are getting so sore.." She whispers to her self almost out of breath.

Clementine, a high school drop out was forced to take on a serving job in the city of Atlanta. It was not by choice to abandon her studies. Child Protective Services told her constantly that she had better show a steady source of income coming into the household or they would take her little brother AJ away from her. The only family she has left. Trying to distract herself, she rises her head to take a glance at her phone and saw one notification. She opened it and saw a message from her uncle Luke. "Happy birthday Clementine! Hope you can come down and see us soon!"

A sigh of disappointment leaves her mouth. "Yeah.. between this job and taking care of AJ, I'll get right on that uncle Luke..." She didn't see any other notifications of anyone else wishing her a happy birthday. All of the apps on her phone started to mesh together as she loses focus staring at her home screen. Thoughts of her parents came rushing back to her and how this day meant so much to both of them. Both were taken from her this day 5 years ago and even though all of her family and friends told her "it will get easier with time" obviously did not know anything about the struggles Clem had to go through. She locked her phone and put her head down to her hands. She had to be strong for AJ. Today was just extremely hard for her. Tears started to form in her eyes as she was remembering memories of birthday's past.

The sound of the doors swinging open interrupted her thoughts. In fear that it was her boss Clem quickly put away her phone and dried her tears.

Her manager Larry came bursting through looking for her wearing his signature scowl he always had on his face. "Clementine! Get this order out!" His hand pointing towards the cook's station. "they been waiting forever!" Clementine's phone was hanging out of her pocket still leaving Larry to looked down and could tell what she was doing in the back. "What did I tell you about coming back here to call or 'snaptext' your boyfriend?? That useless shit can wait." Larry started walking towards her and puffs his chest out to appear more threatening "Unless you want this shift to be your last... I'd get your ass in gear and get this order out. Now!"

Clementine always felt slightly intimidated by Larry. He had a problem with her specifically and she couldn't pinpoint what she did to bring out a certain hatred out of him. She was by far the hardest worker at the diner. She always picked up everyone's shifts when they called out and she always offered to stay late when help was needed.

She quickly answered Larry to avoid anymore of his verbal assault. "I will get it out right away. I'm sorry. I just-"

Larry crossed his arms across his chest. "You just what? need a break? Tough shit." He lowers his face to get right in Clementine's. "Don't let me catch you back here again." Larry furrowed his eyebrows and scowled. He wanted the smallest excuse to fire Clementine and get her out of his life. "Got it??"

Clementine didn't say anything. She shook her head up and down and quickly rushed past Larry to grab the order. She could hear him mumbling angrily as she walked past. Larry had just been promoted from assistant manager to a full manager of the diner after the previous one, Mr. Pete retired almost 2 months ago and handed the position to Larry.

"Good for nothing..." Was all she could make out. She could have sworn he ended his sentence with a racial slur.

Clementine tried her best to shake off her encounter with Larry. She pushed past the doors to get over to the cook's station where the orders were. She grabs the plates and turns around to head over to the customers that placed the order.